Just Like Firemen

“We don’t get a chance to be heroes in our everyday life. We’re not firemen. We don’t get to run to a burning building, and pull someone out and save their life, but these individuals who are willing to donate their stem cells for blood or marrow, are just like firemen.”

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To join the bone marrow registry, they send you a swab for your cheek. It’s really easy and painless. I’ve been in there for a few years now; joined after a friend of mine got leukemia. I beat cancer myself this past summer and I keep hoping I’ll be a match for someone out there so I can pay back/forward the awesomeness I received at my hospital (MD Anderson) to someone else.

http://profile.yahoo.com/TOCNQE4URBQWCPRTR5WFSCCM7E Mariam

I agree, it’s easy and painless to join the national bone marrow registry. I joined last year after reading about the difficulty of finding matches for biracial or multiracial people in need. Figured it was the least I could do.

http://profile.yahoo.com/BFEBU2A5ZRWQZGJNG7ZOSXNQBI Amanda

Yes they are! My life was saved by a kind stranger.. It’s easy and makes such a difference.

I was fortunate enough to get to donate just last week to an anonymous recipient. The whole process was so smooth… the people at the National Marrow Donor Program were excellent. And the actual donation was no more painful than a good dose of body aches and a few needle sticks.

http://kristanhoffman.com/ Kristan

Update: The comments in this post gave me the final inspiration/reassurance about the process that I needed. I just registered and should get my swab kit in a couple weeks.

fripandfine

One day on campus there was blood drive where we could also sign up to be on the bone marrow donor registry. I signed up, they took a little extra blood, and I was on the list. Jump forward six years and I come home to find a FedEx envelope waiting for me with a letter saying I might be a marrow match for a 12 year old boy with leukemia. I had to get a blood test to confirm the match, which I was, and the process began for me to donate stem cells. There was absolutely no pain involved and the people at the National Marrow Registry were so great to work with and so kind to me. I believe in giving when you can, and in this case it was a no brainer.

http://twitter.com/libelletage libelletage

I am a nurse in Bone Marrow Transplant. And you can’t imagine the kind of celebration that happens in a hospital when someone who has been in for the last 4 months finally gets that call, that they have a donor. For four months they were battling cancer, getting chemo, being away from home, fighting infections, wondering if this is it….and finally hears that they have a chance now.
Thanks for making people aware.